Early literacy refers to the experiences and developmental skills from birth through early childhood that promote the later development of reading and writing. Early Head Start (EHS) programs serving children and families whose primary language is other than English have a unique challenge and responsibility to create an environment that is culturally responsive and rich in literacy experiences for all participating families. EHS programs provide literacy experiences in a variety of settings. Some programs may have predominantly English-speaking families and may be struggling with how to meet the needs of the one or two families for whom English is a second language. Other programs are serving a large number of English-speaking families and non-English-speaking families simultaneously. At the same time, still other programs are providing services to large numbers of families who reflect many different cultures and who use a variety of languages. In all of these situations, programs are required to:

• provide child development experiences that promote the child's cognitive and language skills;
• create family literacy experiences that recognize a child's parents as his or her primary teachers and that promote child development, adult education, and self-sufficiency; and
• support cultural diversity by recognizing the importance of the child's home language and culture to his or her social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. See Technical Assistance Paper No. 5 [PDF, 3.7MB]

See also:
     Dual Language Learners